‘Offensive’ newspaper ad

Longtime CBA member Cedar Springs Christian Store (Knoxville, TN) made national headlines recently when owner Lois McGinnis’ classified ad promoting the sale of store fixtures was rejected by her local newspaper because it included an “offensive” word: Christian.

According to a Fox News report, McGinnis placed an ad that never appeared in the Knoxville News Sentinel. When she called to ask why, she was told the ad didn’t run because the word “Christian” was offensive. The newspaper also didn’t notify her in advance that the ad was rejected, nor that they were planning to refund her money.

Following a social media post and outpouring of support from the community, the News Sentinel apologized for “any misunderstanding,” claiming a “system failure.”

Christian MARKET contacted Cedar Springs Owner/Manager Vicki Geist, who said, “we’ve seen an amazing amount of outpouring of support for our store … it’s obvious the thought of our media claiming the word ‘Christian’ is labeled an offensive word has not gone over well here and around the country.

“We’re thankful to serve this community and we hope and pray that God will allow us to continue His work here in Knoxville. Maybe this has also been a reminder to our customers that we need them to come in our store and shop so that we can continue to be a voice and a light for all to see.”